Carbon Catalyst has begun carbon dioxide (CO2) injections at Poseidon, the major carbon capture and storage (CCS) project off south-east England.
The test, the first of its kind in UK waters, marks a milestone for the Poseidon Joint Venture (PJV), operated by Perenco UK.
It used Petrodec’s Erda rig, specially equipped for the injection of CO2 into the H compartment of the Leman depleted gas field in the southern North Sea. The operation follows the successful recompletion of the H27 well in August 2024.
The PJV will progress towards a Final Investment Decision (FID) in 2027, with first commercial CO2 injection for permanent storage slated in 2029.
Source: Perenco CCS
It is anticipated that Poseidon will target an initial annual injection capacity of 1.5 million tonnes of CO2, scaling up to an ultimate annual injection rate of 40 million tonnes, making it one of the largest projects in north-west Europe.
But its ultimate targets are far more ambitious, envisioning the permanent geological storage of approximately one billion tonnes of CO2 into the Perenco-operated Leman gas field, the UK’s largest depleted field, and other adjacent storage reservoirs within the carbon storage licence, and potentially a pipeline connecting to mainland Europe.
Phases 2 and 3 are slated for 2032 and 2035 respectively.
Poseidon will connect a wide range of CO2 emitters across East Anglia, London, and the wider south-east via the PUK-operated Bacton Gas Terminal to the offshore Poseidon geological storage sites.
Nick Terrell, Executive Director at Carbon Catalyst, said the project has the potential to play a very significant role in decarbonising both the UK and Continental European economies.
“As such, reaching this milestone is an extremely positive step in derisking the project and advancing it towards commercial viability,” he said.
Other Perenco partners include Summit Energy Evolution Limited (SEEL), Harbour Energy and Bacton Energy Hub.
Another Perenco carbon capture utilisation and storage (CCUS) project, Orion, in Humberside, will have an initial injection capacity of 1 mtpa (rising to 6 mtpa), with injections due to start in 2031.
The UK Government confirmed £21.7bn funding for CCUS and blue hydrogen over 25 years last October.
Read more: UK gives £22bn boost to blue hydrogen and CCUS
However its backing of unproven, first-of-a-kind carbon capture technology to reach Net Zero is ‘high risk’ and more work on affordability for taxpayers is needed, according to a recent Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report.
Read more: UK carbon capture risks and affordability called into question
